Ex-South Carolina pastor charged with cyberstalking in case of posthumous victimhood of wife
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Dec 23, 2025, 23:03 IST
Another case is the case of a former pastor in South Carolina, who has deep trouble with the federal government against him on grounds of cyber-stalking and deceit in the death of his estranged wife, which happened to be a suicide in the year 2024.
TL;DR
Religious figure John-Paul Miller, accused of cyber-stalking and providing false information surrounding his estranged wife's death, faces a possible seven-year sentence if convicted on the second count.
The court records and law-enforcement reports reveal that a pastor took revenge on his late wife by stalking her online and, on top of that, lying during the investigation of her death, which was also included in the indictment.
A federal grand jury in Columbia has indicted John-Paul Miller, a 46-year-old, on two charges of cyberstalking and making false statements to federal law enforcement officials. The indictment was kept sealed until Thursday.
A court date is set for January 12 in Florence, South Carolina, where Miller will face a judge at the U.S. District Court, per details shared by the Robeson County Sheriff's Office. Reaching out brought no reply when we asked for his thoughts. It's still unclear who is representing him; as far as we know, he might not have a lawyer.
The police drilled into the tragic death of the wife, Mica Miller, a young woman of 30 years only, and as a result, the husband is facing criminal charges. The body of Mica Miller was found on April 27, 2024, and the deputies were called by the 911 emergency communications centre of the county, where she had reported that she was scared and might shoot herself.
Her corpse was subsequently discovered in the water with a gunshot wound that looked to be self-inflicted; a pistol was found nearby. The North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office later ruled it a suicide case.
At the time of her death, the couple was separated, and in the midst of divorce proceedings, state officials said.
According to federal prosecutors, John-Paul Miller harassed Mica Miller between November 2022 and the time of her death by engaging in a pattern of harassment against her, which caused her reasonable emotional distress as well as a reasonable fear of bodily harm or safety. As indicated in the indictment, the pattern of harassment included unwanted communication, including more than 50 calls in a single day.
Prosecutors also charged that he “interfered with his wife's financial affairs, impeded her usual activities, posted a sexually explicit photograph of her on the Internet without her consent, placed tracking devices on her car, and damaged her car tyres,” among other things.
Miller was accused of lying about any involvement in the tyre damage during interviews given to federal authorities. The prosecution indicated in the indictment that the accused lied about his intentions because he had ordered a tyre deflation device online and sent messages referencing the woman's car.
Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins reported that the information that emerged during the course of the investigation into the death gave reason to suspect that there was more to the situation surrounding the death of Mica Miller.
“While our investigation revealed the cause of death, other details emerged that needed to be investigated,” Wilkins said in a statement issued by the sheriff's office. It further marked “the gravity of domestic violence and crimes,” as Wilkins described.
On May 6, 2024, the sheriff's office asked that the investigation be evaluated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina because some claims did not fall within local jurisdiction, according to officials. The FBI was later brought into the investigation.
If convicted, Miller could serve a maximum of five years for federal cyber stalking as well as a maximum of two years for making a false statement. Each charge could also attach a substantial fine, as indicated by the U.S. Department of Justice.
FAQs
Religious figure John-Paul Miller, accused of cyber-stalking and providing false information surrounding his estranged wife's death, faces a possible seven-year sentence if convicted on the second count.
The court records and law-enforcement reports reveal that a pastor took revenge on his late wife by stalking her online and, on top of that, lying during the investigation of her death, which was also included in the indictment.
A federal grand jury in Columbia has indicted John-Paul Miller, a 46-year-old, on two charges of cyberstalking and making false statements to federal law enforcement officials. The indictment was kept sealed until Thursday.
A court date is set for January 12 in Florence, South Carolina, where Miller will face a judge at the U.S. District Court, per details shared by the Robeson County Sheriff's Office. Reaching out brought no reply when we asked for his thoughts. It's still unclear who is representing him; as far as we know, he might not have a lawyer.
The police drilled into the tragic death of the wife, Mica Miller, a young woman of 30 years only, and as a result, the husband is facing criminal charges. The body of Mica Miller was found on April 27, 2024, and the deputies were called by the 911 emergency communications centre of the county, where she had reported that she was scared and might shoot herself.
Her corpse was subsequently discovered in the water with a gunshot wound that looked to be self-inflicted; a pistol was found nearby. The North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office later ruled it a suicide case.
At the time of her death, the couple was separated, and in the midst of divorce proceedings, state officials said.
According to federal prosecutors, John-Paul Miller harassed Mica Miller between November 2022 and the time of her death by engaging in a pattern of harassment against her, which caused her reasonable emotional distress as well as a reasonable fear of bodily harm or safety. As indicated in the indictment, the pattern of harassment included unwanted communication, including more than 50 calls in a single day.
Prosecutors also charged that he “interfered with his wife's financial affairs, impeded her usual activities, posted a sexually explicit photograph of her on the Internet without her consent, placed tracking devices on her car, and damaged her car tyres,” among other things.
Miller was accused of lying about any involvement in the tyre damage during interviews given to federal authorities. The prosecution indicated in the indictment that the accused lied about his intentions because he had ordered a tyre deflation device online and sent messages referencing the woman's car.
Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins reported that the information that emerged during the course of the investigation into the death gave reason to suspect that there was more to the situation surrounding the death of Mica Miller.
“While our investigation revealed the cause of death, other details emerged that needed to be investigated,” Wilkins said in a statement issued by the sheriff's office. It further marked “the gravity of domestic violence and crimes,” as Wilkins described.
On May 6, 2024, the sheriff's office asked that the investigation be evaluated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina because some claims did not fall within local jurisdiction, according to officials. The FBI was later brought into the investigation.
If convicted, Miller could serve a maximum of five years for federal cyber stalking as well as a maximum of two years for making a false statement. Each charge could also attach a substantial fine, as indicated by the U.S. Department of Justice.
FAQs
- Who is John-Paul Miller?
He was once a pastor in South Carolina, but now faces federal charges of cyberstalking and making false statements. - What about Mica Miller?
Her remains were discovered in a North Carolina state park in April 2024, and her death was ruled a suicide. - What is Miller accused of?
He has been accused of prolonged harassment and stalking of his wife and lying to the federal investigators, as the prosecutors claimed. - Which Agencies Were Involved in the Investigation?
The investigation involved the Robeson County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office in South Carolina. - What kind of punishment does Miller face if he's convicted?
He might get a sentence of 7 years and a fine of up to $250,000, which is the maximum amount.